Hunter of Mysterious Creature-Chapter 530 - 114: Diary

"Where are these people now? Can you have them bring out that scavenger’s relics... Of course, I won’t take it for free; I will pay you." Sun Hang said.

"Payment? Money?" The old man looked Sun Hang up and down, "No one wants money here."

"Not money, but resources, the essential supplies you all need." Sun Hang replied, "Whatever those merchants can provide, I can provide. I just need one phone call, and a truck loaded with supplies will be parked outside."

"Really?" The old man squinted his eyes, "How can you, a cop, have such capability?"

"I’m not a cop from the Public Security Bureau." Sun Hang showed a mysterious smile and took out a certificate.

It was an investigator’s ID from the Anomaly Investigation Bureau — every Mysterious Creature Hunter had one, used in situations where it’s not suitable to expose one’s hunter status, but a sheriff’s identity is insufficient, to provide a hunter with a sufficiently authorized law enforcement identity.

A temporary investigator is disposable, even a newly hired sheriff can boss them around. But once the investigator’s profession prefix changes to "official," the status between them will instantly reverse; not only ordinary sheriffs, but even leaders from the Public Security Bureau would have to greet them with a smile first.

After becoming a hunter, Sun Hang realized that a temporary investigator wanting to become official is no easier than a high schooler who has slacked for three years trying to cram and enter a top university with only a month left before the entrance exam.

If the entrance exam is like thousands of troops crossing a single plank bridge, then a temporary investigator’s promotion is like tightrope walking... Falling off the former means swimming in shallow waters, but falling from the latter means plunging into a bottomless abyss.

It’s hard to even have a whole corpse left.

"Anomaly Investigation Bureau?" The old man’s eyes suddenly changed, but then he shook his head, "Even if you’re from the Anomaly Investigation Bureau, it won’t help... You know, the population mobility here is huge, who knows where those people who got the stuff have wandered off to now..."

"Can’t find even one?"

"Not exactly, but it’s very hard to find... Even if you find them, what’s in their hands is probably not what you’re looking for." The old man’s eyes shifted, "However, I might have something that would interest you."

"In your hands? You have that scavenger’s ’relics’ too?"

"I’m old and not in good health, so I can’t go out to scavenge... If it weren’t for these young people willing to give me a bite, I’d have frozen outside long ago." The old man said.

Sun Hang clearly didn’t believe his words—these scavengers struggle to survive themselves, who would be willing to use their already scarce resources to support such an old fellow?

Moreover, judging from the old man’s living environment, he seemed to be doing pretty well. There was even a brand-new kettle boiling on the coal stove, with a tea bag’s string sticking out... A person with leisure to make tea in such a setting is probably far from freezing.

"Those young folks are quick, the guy didn’t come back for three days, and his stuff was split clean." The old man continued, "By the time I went up to tidy up, only some unwanted trash was left."

"Trash?" Sun Hang’s eyes lit up, "What kind of ’trash’?"

"Leftover food wrappers, used toilet paper, a cracked chamber pot... Besides that, there’s a diary." The old man said.

"Diary?" Sun Hang was slightly taken aback.

Who writes a diary these days?

"Yeah, a diary... Unfortunately, I can’t read much, so I can’t understand what he’s written." The old man said, "But seeing it could start a fire, crumpled up, it could be used as toilet paper, so I kept it."

"Can I take a look?" Sun Hang immediately asked.

The old man said nothing but extended a hand to Sun Hang.

Suddenly, Sun Hang realized one problem: the so-called "payment" he could offer now... seemed to be only money.

Unfortunately, in these people’s eyes, whether it’s cash, coins, or the numbers in electronic accounts, all are worthless.

Sun Hang couldn’t help but miss that "Maoyun Town" in the Surrendered Area.

There, money was damn valuable.

Sun Hang searched all his pockets but found nothing suitable for trading... Finally, he simply took off his coat and handed it to the old man: "Is this coat enough?"

"Enough, of course, enough!" The old man grinned as he took the coat, "Speaking of which... Young people sure have good physiques, don’t even need clothes in this cold weather. Want me to lend you an old cotton jacket? Although it’s a bit worn and old, it at least won’t make you freeze outside."

"No need, my constitution is extraordinary, I’m not afraid of the cold." Sun Hang said casually, "Can you give me that diary now?"

"Alright, alright, don’t rush." The old man turned around, picked up the black journal lying next to the coal stove, and handed it to Sun Hang.

Sun Hang’s heart suddenly felt like cursing.

This diary had at least half of its pages torn out, as for where those pages went, one glance at the coal stove burning intensely and he knew.

The old man had cunning eyes and noticed Sun Hang’s subtle change in expression. Quickly, he said, "Don’t be upset, the pages you want are still inside, not burnt."